The Ni-Vanuatu carrier said in a statement the aircraft will be used to operate new services between Brisbane Int'l, Australia, and Espiritu Santo and Port Vila on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays each week commencing June 18, 2018. Between February 2 and 11 it is also using a Nauru airlines aircraft on all of its narrowbody flights to cover for maintenance of its own B737-800.

"Leasing this aircraft allows our own B737-800 to increase services to Sydney Kingsford Smith and Auckland Int'l," Air Vanuatu chief executive, Joseph Laloyer, said. "During peak seasons, we will be operating daily flights to Sydney and four flights a week to Auckland. We expect the additional capacity to make a significant boost to tourism in Vanuatu."

“I am very excited about 2018; we worked tirelessly in 2016 and ‘17 to ensure we would be able to increase our capacity and ultimately boost tourism in Vanuatu. To achieve this, we’ve worked behind the scenes in all departments to ensure codeshare agreements were in place and build new partnerships to provide stability and growth for the airline."

"This year is also our IOSA year, my team is well prepared as we begin the process again of our re-certification. 2018 is going to be a busy, successful year for Air Vanuatu,” Laloyer added.

Aside from the B737-800, Air Vanuatu also operates one ATR72-500, one ATR72-600, and three DHC-6-300s on scheduled passenger flights throughout Vanuatu as well as to New Caledonia.

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Air Vanuatu (NF, Port Vila) is set to put down a VUV850 million vatu (USD7.46 million) deposit on four Airbus narrowbodies. According to The Daily Post, Minister of Finance and Economic Management, Gaetan Pikioune, and Air Vanuatu Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Derek Nice, signed the instrument on February 15.

The aircraft are 133-seaters - presumably A220-300s - the first of which is to deliver by June 2020.

According to Nice, the jets will be based out of Vanuatu and used to serve destinations in Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific region.

Last month, the South Pacific island's prime minister, Charlot Salwai, unveiled the "Shared Vision 2030" initiative among whose aims is to grow Air Vanuatu's fleet from the current seven aircraft - one B737-800, one ATR72-600, one ATR72-500, three DHC-6-300s, and one BN-2 - to thirteen by 2030.

Air Vanuatu is also looking to build greater synergies with other regional South Pacific-based carriers.

Air Vanuatu (NF, Port Vila) has suspended services to Tongoa airport citing safety concerns related to the state of the infrastructure at the airport, The Vanuatu Independent has reported.

The airline said it planned to resume services to Tongoa once the runway maintenance is completed but did not give a specific date.

Air Vanuatu is the only carrier serving Tongoa. According to the ch-aviation capacity module, the airline operated 3x weekly to the island from the capital Port Vila using DHC-6-300 and BN-2 equipment.

Air Vanuatu (NF, Port Vila) could be in line for Australian developmental aid, Australia’s Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Anne Ruston, has said.

According to Radio New Zealand, Ruston said Air Vanuatu’s recently announced growth plan conformed with requirements to tap into her government’s USD1.45 billion development fund, unveiled in November last year.

The assistant minister is meeting Vanuatu’s foreign minister this week following a meeting between the two countries' prime ministers last month.

“It’s one thing to talk about it but it’s another thing to make sure that they’re delivered and we’re absolutely committed to the delivery of this whole program, whole suite of activities and initiatives that are part of the ‘step up’ program,” Ruston said.

In late January, Ni-Vanuatu Prime Minister, Charlot Salwai, unveiled the Pacific island state's "Shared Vision 2030" initiative aimed at expanding its key aviation and tourism sectors. Among the plan's goals is to boost its existing fleet of five aircraft - one B737-800, one ATR72-600, and one ATR72-500 - to thirteen by 2030....

Air Vanuatu (NF, Port Vila) is considering acquiring ATR42s as part of its fleet renewal and upgrade plans. Under Prime Minister Charlot Salwai's "Shared Vision 2030" initiative for the South Pacific island's aviation and tourism sectors, the state-owned carrier is looking to operate a total of 13 aircraft by 2030.

According to The Daily Post, airline chief executive Derek Nice told Buzz 96FM radio that Air Vanuatu's fleet would likely entail eight "large" aircraft for international routes. For domestic routes, five Cessna (single turboprop) 208EX Grand Caravans may also be acquired in order to replace the airline's current fleet of one BN-2 and three DHC-6-300s.

Nice did not specify how many ATR42s would be acquired.

In November 2018, Air Vanuatu was linked to a pair of E190s. However, it never officially confirmed their acquisition.